String vibrations

[Phillip Ford]

>Is it possible that there's benefit in eliminating the transition from
>horizontal to vertical vibrations, without regard to which isolation
>approach you take?
>
>--Cy Shuster--
>Rochester, MN

The point that I was trying to make in my earlier post was, that it's 
not possible to limit string vibration to one plane, whether there 
would be a benefit or not.  Unless the string terminations are rigid, 
and unless the hammer drives the string perfectly vertical, there is 
going to be vibration in both planes.  Even if you could confine 
string travel to one plane, I'm not sure I see the reason.  If the 
string could be forced to travel only in a vertical plane then the 
string energy would transfer more effectively to the bridge and 
board, reducing sustain.  If you could confine it strictly in the 
horizontal plane, then it would sustain very well, but you wouldn't 
hear it, since the vibration energy doesn't transfer very effectively 
in that direction.  I think you want to have a combination of the 
two, which is what nature has conveniently given us.

Phil Ford